I Don't Cry, So Why Are Tears Falling?
by CrimpinCrackers
Summary: Just a cute story showing the brotherly love between Howard and Vince. Set in the keepers cabin at the Zooniverse in the early hours of the morning. What will they discover within eachother? Some tears, fluff and hugs. Hope it makes you smile.
1. Electric Blue Tears

**I Don't Cry, So Why Are Tears Falling? **

Howard? Howard? Howard? Howard. Howard. Howard. Howard? Howard? Howard. Howard. Howard?

_Howard Moon scrunches up his face, compressing his eyes to a size that even a cockerel would be ashamed of. No-one wakes up Howard Moon, no sir. The Jazz maverick will do what he wants sir._

Howard? Howard? Howard. Howard! Howard! HOWARD!

_Howard Moon gets up for no-one sir. Who does he think his is, disturbing my scat restoration sleep? The Jazz maverick will block out all distractions. He can deal with anything. You've chosen the wrong man to mess with sir. _

Poke* Poke* Poke* Poke*

_Ok, that, I can't deal with! _

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

The little man flies backwards in surprise as Howard Moon shouts and sits up suddenly, unable to block out the childish pleas anymore. Limbs flail helplessly as the electro poof falls from the bed in shock, his sequined pants scratching against the Zookeeper hut's rough bedding.

"Vince, its 2 am in the morning! What could you possibly need at this time! Strawberry Bootlace? Some socks made from a llamas split ends? Some extra Hubba Bubba for Charlie to chew maybe? Well, I'll tell you what you need, you need a kick up the…."

Howard stopped suddenly, having caught site of the electro poof's face. His big blueberry chupa chup eyes were wide and swimming with tears, threatening to spill over and his hair stuck out in every direction. His lip trembled furiously as a sob escaped his mouth. Howard watched in horror as the little man curled up in a ball, trembling as tears rolled down his cheeks. Vince never cried. He was the sunshine kid, made from sparkles and lollipops.

Howard frowned. "What's wrong little man"?

_Silence _

"Vince?" questioned Howard worriedly.

In a flash of sequins and marbled-muffin hair, Vince was in Howard's lap, his hands clinging onto his shirt, head buried neatly under Howards chin. His body shook as fresh sobs soaked Howards' shirt. Howard tensed, awaiting the feeling of disgust that he would soon get at being close to someone. But it never came. He felt oddly contented at having his best friend in his arms, his skin nice and warm and his soft hair tickling against his cappuccino stain. But through this contentment he felt worried for his friend. What had gotten him so worked up? Howard Moon, Jazz detective was going to get to the bottom of this. He would just have to get straight to the point.

"Vince? Are you hurt?"

A shake of the head. One knot in Howard's stomach loosened at this.

"Do you feel sick little man?"

Another shake of the head. Yet another knot loosened.

"Vince? Are you….scared?" asked Howard gently. Vince turns his face away from Howard, his eyebrows furrowed. He nods shamefully.

"It's ok little man. It's fine to be scared. Tell me what's wrong. I'll keep you safe". Vince gently pushes away from Howard and sits cross legged on the bed, biting his fingernail nervously. He raises his glistening eyes to catch Howards ever shifting crab eyes. And for the first time in years, Howards stay fixated straight onto Vince's big blue irises, trying to illustrate some reassurance that things were going to be okay. He needn't have worried however, because Vince already knew deep down, that as long as he had his best friend, things would always be alright. But he still couldn't ignore that nagging worry of what that crazy man in blue had told him.

"It's just something Bob Fossil said to me today".

Anger flared up in Howard Moon. _Why would Vince even bother with that nutcase? He saw him today, in his stupid blue suit, getting high on burning bamboo fumes with the Pandas. Who would even believe for a second in Fossils ridiculous stories? Of course, Vince would. His mind absorbs stories like a child drinking lemonade for the first time._ Howard was shaken from these thoughts by a heart breaking sound. Vince's small broken voice shuddered in the darkness as he whispered hauntily,

"Howard, they're gonna get me".


	2. I Don't Cry, I'm Howard Moon

Howard's breath caught in his throat and his blood ran cold.

'Vince?' Howard questioned, 'Wh...Who's going to get you?

Howard was scared. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer. _Who in their right mind would want to hurt someone as innocent as Vince Noir, the little star? _

Vince breathed in heavily and exhaled, preparing to tell Howard the terrible news. He looked into Howards eyes worriedly and grasped on the bed sheet for comfort. Vince opened his mouth slowly and answered quietly "The tiny tap dancers".

Howard merely blinked at this. Had he heard Vince correctly? He had been crying because he was scared of the tiny tap dancers? Howard couldn't help but chuckle in relief. Vince looked appalled.

"How can you laugh Howard? There gonna come with their tiny scissors and chop my hair off! What if they give me a Mohawk? I mean a mullet I could deal with. I could pull it off with some Nicky Clarke and some gel and wax but a Mohawk, that's well creepy. What would my mates say? Leroy would have a fit. I'm gonna look like the child of a bantam chicken! There gonna come for me. ARRGGHH Cant you hear them now? Tapping away on the roof in their little pointy shoes?"

Howard couldn't hold it in any longer. He burst out laughing, loudly spitting out words between amused gasps. "VINCE…you are…so adorably…naïve sometimes. That's…rain you berk! It's raining outside and tapping on the roof!"

"Oh" said Vince quietly, toying at a loose thread on his shirt. He smiled softly at Howard and his eyes darkened questioningly. "Howard, does that mean you won't hold me? I mean, you were only going to hug me if I was in danger", he said looking downcast.

Howard sighed. _How could I be so cruel? Vince is upset and in need of affection and yet I still sit here, terrified of touching him. _Suddenly something occurred to Howard_. Maybe the tears weren't about his hair? Was that just an excuse? Even Vince isn't stupid enough to think that tiny tap dancers are real. Was Vince just upset because even his best friend refused to come within a few inches of him? Perhaps Vince felt...alone? Something most people would get upset about. It had just never occurred to Howard. Of course it hadn't. Howard Moon was probably the only person in Britain that enjoyed his own company. _A sudden terrible though hit Howard. _Vince was an orphan and grew up in the forest as a child, with nothing but a touring celebrity and animals for company. Apart from all his drunken, one night stands, Vince never really had anyone special in his life. No-one to tell him how much they cared about him. No-one to say, _I love you. 

Howard was shaken from his thoughts as Vince's eyes widened..."What did you just say Howard? I mean I'm touched but I didn't think you swung that way."

_Oh God, did I say those words out loud? Did I just tell Vince I loved him? Howard felt his cheeks burn. _Now Howard was just doing what he was good at, babbling in embarrassment.

"No Vince, I mean...yes. Not in a gay way though obviously. I'm as straight as a moose's antler. I mean the end bit because obviously the base is curved and...oh never mind. What I mean to say is, I love you. I love you more than Jazz and stationary. I wouldn't trade you for all the trumpets in the world. You're my only friend, apart from Lester of course, but he's just a nymphomaniac freak. Arghh, what am I saying. Vince, I love you, but not in a gay way. I love you like a best friend, like a brother. You're like the brother I never had. You're my family Vince and you mean the world to me."

Vince looked shocked. And Howard knew why. In the first time in years, Howard Moon, Jazz Maverick had tears rolling down his cheeks. Vince meant more to him than words could ever illustrate. Just as Howard thought Vince was going to burst out laughing at his corny little speech, he found Vince's warm finger trailing along his cheek, gently wiping away the teardrops. Howard was ashamed. He hated people watching him cry. He never cried, he was Howard Moon, man of action. No-one ever made him weep, except Mrs. Gideon of course, and now, Vince. He felt stupid and childish. All he could think was run, run, run, run, run. Get away from here. You can't cry. It's against your maverick style. You span the genres, but no way are you spanning the sensitive genre. Especially not in front of Vince. But as Howard got up to leave, he found he couldn't. A reassuring hand was clasped around his.

"Howard, don't leave. It's alright to cry. You've always been like an older brother to me. I never had a family, but now I do. You are my family. I love you Howard". Now Vince was crying. Howard couldn't just stand and watch anymore. He collapsed onto the bed, scooping Vince up and placing him gently in his lap. He ran a soothing hand through his hair and pat his back gently. A stranger would have cringed at the corniness of the situation but it didn't matter because to Howard Moon, Vince was all that mattered. For about an hour they were lost in their own little comfortable world, sitting in the silence together. Both men's eyelids were starting to droop and the tears on their cheeks had dried.

Suddenly, a quiet voice broke the silence.

"Howard?"

"Yes little man?"

"I hope it rains tomorrow night" said Vince drowsily.

"It will Little Man. Don't you worry. They call me Monsoon Moon. As long as I've got you here little brother, I'll make it rain".

Vince smiled and snuggled deeper into Howard's chest.

Howard smiled and closed his eyes. _No-one makes Howard Moon cry, not even Gideon. But for Vince, I'd bottle my tear drops and throw them to the sky. _


End file.
